Senior v Junior Decisioning

“Could brain changes make older people more prone to scams?”

“The findings appear to agree with what experts on scams and the elderly have long noticed, says Doug Shadel, Washington state director for AARP, a national grassroots organization that represents older Americans.

He said scam artists have admitted in interviews that their main ploy is to get their intended victim "under the ether," or in a heightened emotional state that puts them off kilter.

"They're bypassing that same part of the brain - the frontal cortex, the part that makes you doubt things - and bringing you to the present moment where you're going to make a rash decision," said Shadel.

"It's something that we in the practitioner world have suspected for years. But getting concrete science behind it is really important," added Shadel, a former fraud investigator.

In fact, the findings may help older people avoid such scams.

Taylor's own father was the retired school counselor who got scammed by the two young men, who were homeless and missing teeth. "He thought they were nice young men and he was making loans," Taylor said. And Taylor's aunt was the victim of telephone marketers who convinced her to purchase fake gems.

Given older people's weakness when it comes to judging whether a person is trustworthy, Taylor advises to reduce the temptation.

"You want to get people to shut it off before they ever have the conversation: to hang up without talking, to throw the mail solicitation away, to not go to the free lunch seminar," she said.

AARP recommends that people never decide to buy something while listening to a sales pitch or reading a mail solicitation.

"Always give yourself at least 24 hours so that you have time to engage your rational mind," Shadel said.”
Read the full article and credits here:
 http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/12/03/brain-changes-may-make-older-people-more-prone-to-scams/
　

Enter…Zillion Dollar Thinking:

 

The key question to this dilemma is “what will you use to help you make an informed decision over that 24 hour period?”

As with many sales techniques and attempts, sales approaches often rely on emotions and various degrees of pressure…often neglecting the fundamental requirements of due diligence and suitability.

Point is, when your intuitive facilities begin to wane, you may well need rely more on an objective model of decision making.

In our book (Zillion Dollar Thinking which I heavily recommend that you own in this emerging environment), the simple framework has four progressive steps.
 
Step One:Discovery and Identification of the Problem
 Step Two:Your Commitment and Their Commitment
 Step Three:The Best Solution for the Identified Problem
 Step Four:The Actions needed to complete the Decision

Simple, objective, tangible, repeatable, demonstrating, understandable…applies to little or big decisions…you get the picture.

To summarize, if for any reason your emotional and intuitive instincts are not as sharp or reliable as before, please consider a model (as above). If not this one, there will be a zillion others from a web search.

Going forward, there is really no substitute for objectivity.
As always…you decide.
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

　

　

　

　

Tags that Decide

If you will be exercising your voting right in the very near future, here are a few due diligence tags worth considering before you cast your decision:

   “The Latest Polls Say…”

How many times a day do we see this headline? How many times is there full disclosure that describes the details of how a poll was structured and framed? One site that you can use as a benchmark:

“20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results”

 

http://zilliondollarthinking.com/discovery/the-latest-polls-say/

　Truth or Lies? A Crisis of Integrity.

Overt or subtle, it’s all the same. A lie is a lie, and the truth is the truth (absolute opposites). It is a white hot issue, especially in the current climate of corporations, politics, world order and the influence on our individual freedoms. Who can or will you trust? It is a vital decision.
 
http://zilliondollarthinking.com/discovery/leadership-truth-or-lies-a-crisis-of-integrity/

　Which is the Higher Decision?

Beliefs are deeply held truths about life. Beliefs are one’s thoughts about some aspect of life, the way it is or the way it should be. Think of beliefs as long term perspectives about life…about all of life and not just one’s own life.

Regardless of where you come down on either position, notice that one decision is active while the other is passive. One requires discovery and the other is simply rejection with or without due diligence.

Decisions and fundamental beliefs are closely linked. They also are predictive of future decisions. Your pattern as a believer or a disbeliever should be easy to track over a relatively short time. This is certainly not scientific or certifiable, but food for your decisioning thought.
 
http://zilliondollarthinking.com/discovery/which-is-the-higher-decision/

　Are You Paying Your Dues?

Considering this bit of Wordsmithing, the key point is that due diligence is the first and most principal obligation to satisfy when making most any decision of substance.

Here’s the question: Before you make any important move, purchase or decision, can there be too much due diligence?

As an example…consider that you are about to buy a business (a typical small business in U.S.). What would be the minimum steps that you would impose on the acceptance or rejection of the deal? Try these for starters:

http://zilliondollarthinking.com/discovery/are-you-paying-your-dues/

　Will You Decide on Herd Mentality?

With less than a week, we will have a ( 2010) National election. Here’s today’s headline:

“This weeks unemployment has dropped from 450,000 to 434,000

 

…and that’s the good news."

And, of course this has come on the heels of several weeks (in succession) of similar such good news. Overall, this is a dismal picture that we are supposed to embrace as progress [herd mentality] because it was not as bad as expected. But, this could be any news that is fed to us by some media chain that has its own particular reporting agenda.

http://zilliondollarthinking.com/discovery/will-you-decide-on-herd-mentality/

These are just a sampling of several posts that you can use as due diligence in your decisioning and before casting your vote. The common denominator in each of these is that this is serious business. Unfortunately for some, not even worth the effort. Conversely, the opposite camp considers this as a vital election. Hopefully, these nuggets will be of help.

As always…you will decide.

What Will I Tell My Neighbors?

"Once someone makes a decision about your cause or your product or your resume, it's almost impossible for you to persuade them that they may have been initially wrong. You're no longer asking them to remake the first decision, you're asking them to admit their decisioning error, which is a whole other thing.

Compounding this, organizations often make it awkward for someone who is trying to come around to be embraced, largely because the tribe is hurt that their decision was rejected in the first place.

The opportunity is to encourage the non-supporter to look at new information and make a new decision. Give them a convincing story they may need to tell their colleagues and neighbors…

“Amnesty for Latecomers” by Seth Godin:

Please see the full post. Re-printed by permission.
 http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2012/10/amnesty-for latecomers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2Fsethsmainblog+%28Seth%27s+Blog%29

Thanks Seth…an excellent backdrop for this option…

As we have encouraged repeatedly, show them the track, system or model of how you arrived at the decision in the first place. If you demonstrate that right up front, it can create an additional opportunity of buy-in, and authenticity (which is proven to increase believability).

All that said, the idea here is that you want to eliminate second guessing or doubt and also demonstrate the strength and accuracy of the initial decision to the first party and even a potential second party.

As always…you decide.

When Opposites Attract

A short list of opposites can help us make a major point in decisioning.
These are actually decisions on auto-pilot.

Opposites

War - Peace

Black - White

Start - Stop

Good - Evil

Begin - End

Life - Death

Bondage - Freedom

Hot - Cold

Night - Day

Finite - Infinite

Even though these are polar opposites, they can become choices that, in the extreme, are easy decisions. But, what about the in-betweens?

It’s the gray (B/W), the lukewarm (H/C), the afternoon (AM/PM)…the somewhere in the middle ones that catch us.

Point is, when it’s not as stark in definition (as above), how do you come to a conclusion?

We are, and will remain, consistent about the answer. It is a model, system, formula or track.

The Zillion Dollar Thinking MODEL:

One. Discovery

Two. Commitment

Three. Solution

Four. Action

So, the next time you get into the gray area of decisioning, please consider the ZDT track. If not this one, cyberspace will have plenty of options (there are now 700,000 apps for the iPhone alone). At the minimum, please download the complimentary eBook at our ZDT site.

Point is that a model is the antidote to staying endlessly stuck. As one author framed it…“better to be consistently decisive than to be completely right.”

As always…you decide.



　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Zillion Dollar Thinking - BlogTopSites.com

Zillion Dollar Thinking - BlogTopSites.com

The Latest Polls Say...

How many times a day do we see this headline?

How many times is there full disclosure that describes the details of how a poll was structured and framed?

One site that you can use as a benchmark:

“20 Questions A Journalist Should Ask About Poll Results”

 

http://www.ncpp.org/?q=node/4

And here is a mantra you can repeat to yourself: “Do Not Trust Undocumented Polls”

And, maybe you can say it (and write it on the whiteboard) to this compounded degree:

2 X 2 = 4

4 X 4 = 16

16 X 16 = 256

256 X 256 = 65,536

65,536 X 65,536 = 4,294,967,296

 …and so on to the zillioneth power.

Exaggeration…yes…but here’s the point:

Please do not trust any poll without considering at least some of the following criteria (from the article):

1. Who did the poll?

2. Who paid for the poll and why was it done?

3. How many people were interviewed for the survey?

4. How were those people chosen?

5. What area (nation, state, or region) or what group (teachers, lawyers, voters, etc.) were these people chosen from?

6. Are the results based on the answers of all the people interviewed?

7. Who should have been interviewed and was not? Or do response rates matter?

8. When was the poll done?

9. How were the interviews conducted?

10. What about polls on the Internet or World Wide Web?

11. What is the sampling error for the poll results?

12. Who’s on first?

13. What other kinds of factors can skew the poll results?

14. What questions were asked?

15. In what order were the questions asked?

16. What about "push polls"?

17. What other polls have been done on this topic? Do they say the same thing? If they are different, why are they different?

18. What about exit polls?

19. What else needs to be included in the report of the poll?

20. So I've asked all the questions. The answers sound good. Should we report the results?

So, you don’t know the answers to all these questions? That is the point. If you don’t have enough of the answers…don’t trust the poll result…especially one with a +/- 7point differential (as many now hide).

Simple as that.

As always…you decide.

in·di·vid·u·al·ism

　
noun

1. a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual

2. the principle or habit of or belief in independent thought or action

3. the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests

4. individual character; individuality

5. an individual peculiarity

Right now, as we watch the GOP National Convention unfold, it is becoming increasing clear what is at stake.

For example, the GOP V.P. candidate Paul Ryan painted the memories of his transition from childhood to the present. As a kid he was able to wait tables, throw papers, mow yards, work in car factories, and then study economics, enter politics, and now, run for second highest office in the land.

He further remembered what his father told him at an early age. He told him that in life he would have to make decisions…and that what should guide him is that he could be “part of the problem or part of the solution.”

What is most important in this campaign is what they are promoting. In speech after speech, in one way or another, the underlying message is individual freedom. More specifically, the freedom to make and act on individual decisions.

While we cannot change the platforms these different campaigns will offer, we can only control our individual decision as a result.

For years, we have taken for granted the freedoms that we enjoy in this country. Considering the stakes, our singular goal from these conventions may well be to support and promote the administration that will leave you and me with the greatest amount of individual freedom…individualism.

As always…You decide.

　

Beyond the Static…Who Gets It?

How committed are you to seek the truth in decisioning when information interference is compounding exponentially?

Ten years ago, from a routine search engine, most topics would yield less than one million results. Today…hundreds of millions is common.

Then, consider the volume of social networks, digital editions, e-books, blog sites, and a zillion others…all forms of static and interference. Then, the hardware…smarter by the digital minute and growing by the nano-second.

The application of filtering becomes vital when the targeted information is conflicting. As you are seeking the truth, you are being drowned by a volume of competing noise.

The questions: Will you filter? How will you filter?

Could you use a MODEL? What should it include?

At the risk of redundancy, the Model for Intelligent Decisioning remains our best offer to help combat this compounding problem (does anyone believe it will get less conflicting in our future).

Again, the four steps applied to this dilemma:

Step One: Discovery (your issue, objective, problem, candidate)

Step Two: Commitment (your dedication, testimony, involvement)

Step Three: Solution (your specific answer to your discovery)

Step Four: Action (your plan of execution)

The beauty of a model is that it allows you to organize your thinking/decisioning using successive and interactive steps. On the contrary, if you are not willing to take the time to methodically organize, then the decision before you may not be that important.

Boiled down, we often find deciders in one of two camps.

The Methodicals or The Herders

The Methodicals will decide by commitment, resolve and relentless determination. The Herders will tend to fall (and decide) into a group (herd) with limited individual research, facts or true information. They will believe and accept unchallenged polls, data or news and then melt into their adopted herd.

One camp seems to get it…the other one does not, and of course there are those others who are stuck in the middle and stay frozen in place.

As always…you decide.

USA...USA...USA...

From an international perspective, we just celebrated the skills and achievements of our superior athletes in the 2012 Olympics.

Similarly, we are about to witness the Ryder Cup (golf USA/European event). Following that will be several other smaller events that will showcase the spirit and legacy of our unique American culture.

These events are related because of the unity and competitiveness of our national spirit, pride and the goal of winning excellence.

In November, we will have a national election. A national decision.

Q. How does this election compare to the various sports events and competitions?

It has to do with our heritage. This country was founded on certain fundamentals and laws that are unique and perpetual. To date, they have brought this nation through a myriad of trials, and not just athletics. This election will be another test of our American spirit as “We the People.”

In this election…would it not be the ultimate response if we could drop the partisan positions (herds), and decide on this country’s direction based on the welfare of the USA where we are all stakeholders and beneficiaries.

USA…USA…USA.

As always…you will decide.

The Emerging Lynchpin

Herds Happen

Will we emerge as individuals with choices and freedoms or herds without? Herds can be big or small. The individual question may be how you will influence your herd, or how your herd will influence you? That decision could change our world, and it is only a few months away.

From the term herd mentality is the word herd, meaning "group of living creatures," and mentality, implying a certain frame of a thinkable mind. The condensed and personalized definition might be: "how large numbers of people are influenced to act in the same way at the same time."

Herd behavior is distinguished from herd mentality because it applies to animals and people, whereas the term mentality implies a uniquely human phenomenon. Herd mentality can also imply a fear-based reaction to peer pressure which makes individuals act in order to avoid feeling "left behind or left out" from the group. Herd mentality is also sometimes known as "mob mentality.”

Today, we are being conditioned by unexplained and unchallenged polls, undocumented news information, articles and posts, corporate edicts, labor groups, political organizations, various religious movements, and a zillion other herding influences.

Considering the stakes, it would be well worth each of us to take a reflective inventory of how we are interconnected to these herds (e.g. all social networks are a form of herding).

The answer to how all of this may turn out could be:

“Who will influence the herds?”

As always…you will decide.

　

Zillion Dollar Thinking: Do You Have a Problem or a Decision?

Zillion Dollar Thinking: Do You Have a Problem or a Decision?: On the surface many will call these synonymous, but maybe not so fast. Often, we may gloss over this slight distinction when faced with ...

Do You Have a Problem or a Decision?

On the surface many will call these synonymous, but maybe not so fast.

Often, we may gloss over this slight distinction when faced with a decision disguised as a problem. But, if we apply the Zillion Dollar Thinking MODEL, we may come to a more extensive alternative.

To refresh, the MODEL has four distinct steps.

Discovery (the problem to be solved)

 Commitment
(the missing link)

Solution (the marriage of the real problem to the ideal remedy)

Action (the proactive plan of execution)

So using this model, finding and identifying the problem is just the first step of four in the process. Important point: Step Two often becomes the differentiator…the step of commitment.

Commitment comes in several forms: promise, pledge, vow, obligation, assurance, binder, word, guarantee, warrant, etc.

But again, when was the last time you approached problem solving with the cornerstone of commitment in the process? The reason that is vital is that without commitment it is easy to abort the issue, not dig deep enough or not follow through for a zillion other reasons.

Take away…next time you are faced with a decision you instantly brand as a problem in search of a cursory solution, consider a model approach that is sealed by a solemn and carefully crafted commitment.

The higher the stakes, the more you may need to re-consider.

As always…you decide.







　

Best Decisioning POV

“I decided not kill myself. I had been through some hard times emotionally, but I just decided to suck it up, get over it, and get on with life. It was my best decision! The world can be a great place.”

At a Wilmington rally for Democratic Delaware Senate candidate Chris Coons, President Obama laid to rest any remaining speculation that Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden might switch jobs in 2012, telling a packed crowd in Biden's home state that his choice of Biden was “the single best decision I have made.”

“Ordering AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting was one of the best decisions I've ever made.”

“One of the best decisions I ever made was purchasing a recreational vehicle. This decision led my family and I to experience some of the most enjoyable times together that we ever thought were possible. Traveling down the road in the RV allowed us to come together for large amounts of time, but also have enough space to not feel overcrowded and infringed upon. The day I bought our family RV was the day I got my family back.”

John McCain had no regret about the biggest and most controversial decision of his unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign. Speaking to Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening in New Hampshire, McCain said naming Sarah Palin his running mate was "still the best decision I've ever made."

Alice Cooper changed his first name from the more masculine Vince…insisting it was one of the best decisions he has ever made. The veteran rocker - born Vincent Furnier - legally renamed himself in the late 1960s but admits his mother Ella Mae still can't get used to the idea. At this point, Alice Cooper is woven into Americana. "My mum's the only one to still call me Vince. She says, 'Hey, superstar, take out the trash.'"

Amazing. From a POV (Point of View) perspective, we all have decisions we may consider our best, and then those that we will regret until eternity. With all the gloom and doom news out these days, it just seemed refreshing to share a few notables from those considered their best. Maybe you have one to share?

As always…you decide.

　



　

Can the Trend be Your Friend?

Back in the day, as a resident estate planning specialist with a major securities firm, my office was right next to the commodity office and the “squawk box” that routinely issued breaking market alerts and trends. The futures market had a famous and classic mantra that is still a bellwether icon even today.

"The trend is your friend" is the magic slogan that the futures market lives by every minute of every day. The odds do not favor negative market patterns or consistently mistaken decisions made by management, or major red flags from any of a zillion other categories. Betting on the future of a commodity can be a costly and even dangerous game. It’s a world where leverage and timing rule.

During my many years with that organization, I personally witnessed a trend that was consistent on a different level. It was amazing that a particular client would come in and high five about the killing that he was making as if it would never stop. I got to be friends with several of them. And, when I stopped seeing them come around, I would question their broker. The typical response was “he bought the farm…he went belly up…but most often, he ignored the trends.” Many of them lost it all.

The futures market is a good barometer of what is going on right here and now. We are looking at several trends that can only be labeled as alarming. We will all have our own pet topics, but the elephant in the room is also one of leverage and timing (as above). The upcoming election will be upon us very quickly, and much like the futures market, we will be faced with a decision that will have consequences no matter how we respond.

This may be the very time in history to divorce ourselves from party affiliations and pre-set agendas and look independently at the trends. If you see and feel that what is trending is leading to an economic or personal catastrophe…“let the trend be your friend.”

Unlike the commodities market and the requirements to become a player, we will each have an equal stake in this decision that will only require our vote.

The leverage of your vote, and the timing of this election cannot be more important.

As always…you decide.

　

　

　

　



　

　

　

　

　

　

Zillion Dollar Thinking - BlogTopSites.com

Zillion Dollar Thinking - BlogTopSites.com

Signs of the Times?

Current reports are claiming that almost half of the adult population trusts and/or believes in astrological signs, stars, tarot cards, visions, readings, charts and other techniques.

Now, stir in many of the other subjective alternatives into the world of decisioning:
Instincts and Gut Feelings
(Intuition, Abstraction, Baseless, Feelings, Hunches, Small Voices)
Herd Thinking
(Crowd Mentality, Blind Faith, Parties, Non-objective, Fraternal Rushing)
Pure Chance
(Cards, Dice, Coins, Eight-Ball, Roulette, Abstract Devices)
Various Traditions
(Calendars, Ceremonies, Celebrations, Holidays)
Social and Fraternal Influences
(Codes, Signs, Symbols, Handshakes, Rituals, Secrets)
Cultural Ideologies
(Sacrifices, Rituals, Customs)
Technological Influences
(Mobile Connections, Social Networks, Chat Rooms, Sites, Blogs)
Gadgets and Apps
(Computers, Smart Phones, Programs, Media Players, Digitals, Wireless)
Clairvoyance-Psychics-Readings
(Visions, Readings, Signs, Symbols)
Family, Friends and Business Influences
(Bias, Prejudice, Tradition, Influence, Habit, Rituals)
Other Beliefs and Cults
(Evolution, Scientology, Church of the XXX, Zen Buddhism)
Churches, Denominations and Religious Organizations
(And countless others)

Question? With all these subjective alternatives, why would anyone go to the trouble to objectively model a pending decision?

Each day we are getting ominous news, threats and alarms from various media sources. With this news and information, we are mounting increasing pressure to make intelligent decisions. They will affect not only us, but many of those around us.

Yes, the subjective route is easier and leaves a broad excuse if things do not pan out. But, the higher the stakes, the greater the need for tangible wisdom.

Going forward, will you look for a sign from a UFO, or will you seriously weigh your objective commitment with a pending dilemma?

As always…you decide.

　

The Dangers of “Cut and Paste”

Back in the day, a “cut” required a knife or scissor blade where the artist extracted information usually from a paper sheet to “paste” to another surface…all done manually…blades, glue, rulers and all the rest.

To make this physically real, your’s truly was in the midst of a publishing company graphic project, and during the “cut” phase the Exacto knife (razor sharp blade) decided to roll off the table toward me. In my haste and respect for the instrument, I tried to catch it and accidentally jabbed it even harder on the down stroke into my leg. After several stitches (and a near bleed out), my paradigm shift and appreciation of “cut and paste” was completely reversed.

Today, “cut and paste” does not represent a physical threat, but it may represent other cautions that could be far worse. Software developers have kept the iconic title, but they have also opened a whole new world of transference of information.

Just think about it.

There are several alternative forms of cut and paste in that they represent moving digital information, verbal or graphic, from one place to another. Depending on the application, the temptation occurs in the need or want to alter or enhance the information.

Photoshop
There are literally thousands of “tweaks” that can be applied to a given subject. Yes, there is the simple straight up “cut and paste” app that can be applied, but with all those other goodies, e.g. “let’s see how this looks,” the danger comes when the artist (or other authority) decides to take these liberties of alteration without gaining the original owner’s approval. Then come the lawyers.

Using line extension, this dilemma applies to countless other software apps, and countless more lawyers. The message here is relatively simple. The original application of manual “cut and paste” had some physical risks, but the digital apps are now wrought with land mines of a different sort.

In the old days, the artist needed the time, patience and diligence to transact the alteration, while today a zillion apps are only a nano click away. And, as faster and more savvy hardware and software is developed, the greater the risk evolves.

Along with the decision to “cut and paste,” will come the increasing responsibility and diligence to keep from using unauthorized techniques and technologies.

As always…you decide.



　

　

　

　

Zillion Dollar Thinking...Forward and Fast Forward

"Gadgets that can recognize handwriting, receive wireless data from TV shows, and read minds through artificial intelligence were among the hottest tech toys at the American International Toy Fair in New York."

At the American International Toy Fair, a new interactive toy that will be marketed to children was introduced. It employs artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic and psychographic profiling.

This device attempts to model one’s thinking and decision making paths. After a few trial questions, this "toy" can be alarmingly accurate in mimicking thought patterns. These kinds of instruments could potentially become convincing enough that a young impressionable mind might allow the device to do some important thinking or deciding for them.

Fifty years ago there was the Magic Eight Ball with yes, no and maybe answers. The Eight-Ball was a toy. This technological device is scary, is named RADICA, and it only costs $10.

The UCD (Universal Communication Device: AKA Smartphone; Smart Tablet; Smart Devise) is equally as concerning. It has full audio, full video, instant access, worldwide reach, 24/7, total portability among many (and daily increasing) other features and apps.

That said, the temptation is also to let this UCD do our thinking for us. Picture this. A banner ad pops into your WiFi [or other wireless] community delivered by an enticing and engaging professional with the promise of a "now or never" opportunity that costs no front-end money yet pretends to have everlasting benefits. Because it is such a no-brainer...you bite...you’re hooked with a single signal from your device.

“A bit later with your UCD, you switch to your news chapter for your favorite media rep to tell you what and how to think about the events of the day surrounded by unexplained and undocumented polls, out of context comments, staged video clips and various other influential techniques, persuasions and controlled data.”

These events are all operative now...or about to be. What is even more alarming is that when we surveyed a reasonable random sampling of people of various ages, conditions and stations in life in research for this book, the consensus was "I’m too busy to think about making decisions or how I make them."

In other words, "I’m too busy to think or make objective decisions."

Large corporations, the various branches of government, many trade and professional organizations, institutional organizations and others want us and encourage us to practice "herd mentality." They generally do not promote independent thinking and/or decision making. Do you ever wonder why?

Going along with the crowd has really never been an acceptable alternative to independent decision making. Blindly following the trends will remain an increasingly oppressive threat.

Technology is a magical thing. It can potentially cause us to live longer, healthier and more productive lives. But here’s the caution: the tail cannot wag the dog. We need to use and control technology and not allow technology to use and control us.

The primary distinction of our individual skin-on thinking versus the kind that comes from a machine or device is the creative, innovative and emotional kind. We must stay in control of that distinction and direction for our own survival and existence.

Summary

This Zillion Dollar Thinking introduction was written over ten years ago. But, if we had only one of these events that should warrant scrutiny in today’s particular season…it should be how recklessly, gullibly and believably we blindly accept polls and poll data. And, if they were not effective, they would not be showcased as they are in today’s media. Why is that?

They are easy to mis-state, mis-source, mis-inform and manipulate. And, if you look at the typical margin of error, it can often represent a ten point swing. So, it is not unusual that margins are footnotes in very small type.

The major point here is (more prophecy) that polls are and will be a primary vehicle in trying to influence the next (and some say…most important) election. From a decisioning perspective, it is vital to get to the real truth behind any polling information which includes the questions and the way they are framed. It is truly worth your search and discovery time to research the dynamics of polls and poll data.

As always…you decide.

Right Brainer. Left Brainer. No Brainer.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Brain Freezes, Memory Lapses and other mind related conditions…all seem to have at least some possible link to exercising and challenging the brain.

Whether this proves out to be relative or not, it could be good insurance. Logically, we are told by knowledgeable mentors (family-friends-physicians) that “if we don’t use it we could lose it.” It is possible that this connection has line extension from physical to mental.

I watched someone very dear to me waste away from Alzheimer’s very recently. What I observed was that even though she diligently worked the garden, ate healthy, had all the vital physical ratios, never even had a tooth cavity…in other words, no obvious physical exceptions that may have triggered this dread disease.

Through her life, she had very obvious creative talents in several areas that kept her challenged. On the other hand, she rarely dealt with logic and/or numbers. She did read the papers, but no cross-word puzzles and no writing.

In all, there were unchallenged areas that could lead one to conclude that “maybe if” all the dimensions of the brain had been highly challenged…?

My personal take away:

Read-Write-Create

Paint-Draw-Design

Add-Subtract-Multiply

Solve Problems-Communicate-Decide

In all, use the right, left, conscious and unconscious brain while you still have it.

As stated, when it comes to our mind/brain, probably one of the best things we can do is exercise it like any other muscle or organ. Don’t wait until you lose someone close to help you decide to take at least some initial action.

As always…you decide (while you are able).

　

　

　

　

　

　

Evidence That Demands a Verdict

This headline is a book title that is fitting in today's environment even though it was written over 40 years ago.

The author, Josh McDowell, has been instrumental in challenging the baseline of how to decide on critical life questions.

His testimony describes how he set out to refute and rebuke this core belief question, and to minimize it's consequences, but the tsunami of evidence changed his heart and life.

The steps he used to arrive at his decision are a mirror to the steps of the ZDT MODEL:

Step 1 - his ultimate destination

Step 2 - his total commitment to find the truth

Step 3 - his discovery and source of a singular path

Step 4 - his legacy road map for followers

One, he picked a topic that may apply to everyone with eternal consequences...what could be more enduring?

Two, he was committed, in his mission, to the point that he was willing to sacrifice his original core beliefs in order for the truth to prevail.

Three, considering the consequences, he knew that only the historical facts (not subjective feelings) would be sufficient to stand the scrutiny that would be leveled at him and his decision.

Four, once he described the only path to follow, he knew that his conclusions would create a major alteration to the activities (daily walk) of the subscribers or converts. Life changing.

Why re-visit this now?

This template could be played out a zillion times each day. We can have a core theory that we have believed from the beginning, only to find out that under hard scrutiny, it was a false premise.

Here we are 40 years later, and his premise and conclusions are still considered a classic. Run a search on Josh...check him out.

Daily App

Each day we see the current headlines, we are reminded that life on this earth is fragile and can change instantly, and the consequences and subject of eternity will take on a new meaning.

The point here is that eternity is a long, long time, and the decision to consider it is before a terminal event...after the fact is too late.

McDowell is one author on this subject. There are a zillion others. The striking deferential with him is that once he realized he was on the wrong side of this decision, he re-considered and then devoted his life to helping others come to a direction based on historical evidence.

Our days ahead could not be more uncertain.

As always...you decide (eternally).

Golf Lessons...Life Lessons

This weekend's golf tournament was both entertaining and instructional.

On one hand, there was the player who was leading while entering the final round, and it was his tourney to lose. A little further down the pack was the closest challenger who differentiated himself by an obvious trait and methodology.

What was the distinguishing factor?

The ability to make and commit to a decision.

The buzz on many sports channels leading up to the final round was the almost mockery of the leader's inability to “pull the trigger.” His approach and subsequent hesitation to commit to his swing was near comical. He was plagued with indecision. He had incessant starts and stops.

His ultimate challenger was just the opposite, even though he had to make up a few shots to gain the lead. You could immediately see the contrast. His approach and routine was more like a repeatable template.

His formula could be described using a familiar model (ZDT):

Step One: Assessed the situation and the shot needed

Step Two: Chose the club and committed to the shot

Step Three: Executed the swing and shot without hesitation

Step Four: Positioned the ball to get it in the hole with the fewest shots

And notably, this exercise was done in less than a minute. The major point was that the routine was repeatable, predictable and in this case, produced a winning result.

The leader became the loser, and the challenger became the winner. Chalk another decisioning result up to a repeatable model.

As always...you decide.

Zillion Dollar Thinking…The Unthinkable.

What is happening right now?

Legislative stalemates

Zillions of alarming headlines from zillions of writers

24/7 access, delivery and exposure to constantly threatening information

Add to that…We have record:

Federal and Personal Debt

Gas and Oil prices

Unemployment

Currency printing

Home sales, foreclosures and declining values

Welfare recipients

Gold and silver prices

Foreign instability and influence

Wars and rumors of wars

Uncertainties everywhere.

Historically, leaders and peoples in the past have had their own reasons (their version of above) to feel threatened, fearful and expecting the worst. But, in the critical last hour, they were saved for another day.

Since we have no crystal ball or visionary gifts, “we the people” do have the freedom and opportunity to think.

Collectively, I hope we will not waste our time or emotion in thinking the unthinkable.

Maybe this is the time to adopt Zillion Dollar Thinking.

As always…You decide.

　

　

　

Is the (Internet) Pen Mightier than the (Regulation) Sword?

Back in the day of Camelot, words waxed poetic. The pen was a quill and the audience was local. So, the reach and influence was limited, but the feedback could be emotional and sometimes physical (say or write the wrong thing, and here comes the sword).

Fast forward a few hundred years, and today, what gives our words more power?

The audience that receives it.

Today, the pen is represented by a digital sentence, a video clip or any other mode of communication that can be transmitted though constantly connected and evolving physical devices.

The world audience is approximately 6.6 billion and counting. Spooky maybe, but not when you compare this picture to 5...10...25 years from now. Some say, we will just “think it …and it will be so” from embedded microchips on our bodies. Now that is scary.

Point is, we will not stop this inevitable progression of the pen?
So what is sword to do?

Tax the pen…Regulate the pen….Control the pen.

If we are an author of any of these future forms of communication, that is not the preferred prophecy.

What we can do:

We have to continue to network and compound the weight of the pen. Case in point:

Arizona HB 2549
Had this legislation been left unchecked by the watchful eye of many contributing constituents, this little gem could be law right now. The most problematic issue is the labeling and punishment of a suspected “Internet Troller” using this wording:

"It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person."

Considering line extension, this could eventually affect others even outside the intended state. It is still unclear where this bill is headed.

Arizona is just the beginning. Other primary issues can start in one state, and once embedded as law, can be easily tweaked by another state and suddenly can become law. The question again:

“Is the Internet Pen mightier than the Regulation Sword?”

The answer to that will depend on each individual’s commitment to influence one or the other.

As always…you decide.

Trolling in Arizona (and beyond)...HB 2549

Ironically, in a recent post “Search or Research,” the dilemma of how and why it is important to differentiate these two steps was analyzed. Little did I know how quickly it would come into play.

Case in point

The subject of internet “trolling” hit the radar in the last couple of weeks. True to the separate steps, I searched just enough to find what I believed to be the issue from just the headlines...specifically, that Arizona had passed a bill in their legislature and the governor was poised to sign it into law. Some may say...a scary law.

Had that been absolutely accurate, the rules (initially applied only to AZ) could have altered our current participation and relationship to the internet...part of the law read:

“It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person.”

“This means any comment, forum post, blog post or other public web spaces where discussions or shared thoughts take place could be held accountable if deemed in violation of the law.”

As originally stated, the legislature passed House Bill 2549 and it was simply awaiting the governor's signature, and if found guilty, a violator could be subject to a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 25 years in jail and thousands in fines.

Groups such as Media Coalition continue to point out the ambiguity in the law stating, "The communication does not need to be repetitive or even unwanted. There is no requirement that the recipient or subject of the speech actually feel offended, annoyed or scared. Nor does the legislation make clear that the communication must be intended to offend or annoy the reader, the subject or even any specific person."

In other words, enough to scare the !#$%^* out of you and me.

Drilling down today (the research step), it seems that after a tsunami of backlash directed at the Arizona lawmakers, they are reconsidering their position. But, it is not clear what direction they are taking.

Question: What were/are they thinking (decisioning)?

This one was/is close, but it really points out the vigilance that is now required by all of us...especially those who maintain active sites, blogs and comments in the social media.

Again, search and research...and share.

As always...you decide.

Will You Search or Research?

1. research

Critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation, having for its aim the discovery of new facts and their correct interpretation, the revision of accepted conclusions, theories, or laws in the light of newly discovered facts, or the practical application of such new or revised conclusions, theories, or laws.

When faced with a decision, will you search or research? To distinguish the two, searching for a subject is more surface and topical. Researching a subject is more the action and work of drilling down into the substance and fabric of the issue.

Before the Internet, this brand of work was manual, paper intensive and library bound to be thorough with the task.

Now, most anyone can place a word or subject in a given search engine to find millions of results. The real effort comes when you settle down to a single object to “data mine.” Here's where there needs to be a decision as to the volume of time and length/depth of coverage you will expend and develop. The real work.

What's the point?

As we apply the MODEL (“for intelligent decision making”) to the above, the first step is discovery which is really two fold...search and research. And that's the point, you need to execute both of them. Many decisions are doomed from the start because this step is shorted and often avoided.

The obvious best action...You must identify the target, and point the gun before you pull the trigger. That is the reason (as the MODEL illustrates) that the largest time commitment is at this initial and defining step.

Then there is this:

Now apply the new search/data mining apps as a product of next generation developments. In other words, searching within searches.

“Keyword research is one of the most important, valuable, and high return activities in the search marketing field. Through the detective work of puzzling out your market's keyword demand, you not only learn which terms and phrases to target with SEO, but also learn more about your customers as a whole. The usefulness of this intelligence cannot be overstated - with keyword research you can predict shifts in demand, respond to changing market conditions, and produce the products, services, and content that web searchers are already actively seeking. In the history of marketing, there has never been such a low barrier to entry in understanding the motivations of consumers in virtually every niche - not taking advantage is practically criminal.”

For the full article and credits:

http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research

In all, the apps available in the initial step (search and research) of decisioning are growing at a compounding pace. Fortunately, we have the portable and 24/7 hardware to make this task more convenient.

The key question:

When faced with the next significant decision, will we recognize the opportunity and responsibility, and using all the new tools, will we convert it to our advantage?

As always...you decide.

Bubba Decisioning

I just viewed a live interview with Bubba Watson on “Morning Drive” and the Golf Channel. In case you missed, he is the new winner of the Green Jacket (Master's Golf Tournament).

He won in historic fashion in a sudden death playoff. What is notable is how he made the critical decision at just the right time. What is also rare is that he has no coaches, never took golf lesson, he is left-handed, and has a very unorthodox swing. The golf aficionados are beginning to label him as the “natural.”

Consider that most every other pro has an entourage within their camp. Everything from swing coaches, to dietary advisers to psychological experts. That's a lot of advise from (sometimes) conflicting schools of thought. Bubba did not have to deal with all that.

Some of his classic quotes (keys to success) were:

“I didn't think about the prize...just the shot.”

“I kept my head down to keep from getting distracted.”

“I was comfortable in the straw...that's where I came from.”

Remarkably, being in the rough with the tournament on the line, is not where the average golfer prefers to be. In the woods is probably their least favorite and least practiced location. Bubba (much like the rabbit in the briar patch), was perfectly at home there while the critics had almost written him off.

So, what is the “Bubba Lesson?”

In the universe of decisioning, it's a teachable moment. While the rest of the field is juggling with technicians, coaches and experts, Bubba is simply keeping his head down, and trusting his simple swing thoughts and a repeatable execution. That philosophy would work at home, in business and most everywhere else.

One last thing...he has visible passion. While he was shedding tears in front of 30 million people, many of us were touched in the same way. Maybe it is becoming a pattern in the world of sports where these few remarkable icons will serve to show us more of the adage: “the simple shall confound the wise.”

You go Bubba!

As always...you decide.

Bubba Decisioning

I just viewed a live interview with Bubba Watson on “Morning Drive” and the Golf Channel. In case you missed, he is the new winner of the Green Jacket (Master's Golf Tournament).

He won in historic fashion in a sudden death playoff. What is notable is how he made the critical decision at just the right time. What is also rare is that he has no coaches, never took golf lesson, he is left-handed, and has a very unorthodox swing. The golf aficionados are beginning to label him as the “natural.”

Consider that most every other pro has an entourage within their camp. Everything from swing coaches, to dietary advisers to psychological experts. That's a lot of advise from (sometimes) conflicting schools of thought. Bubba did not have to deal with all that.

Some of his classic quotes (keys to success) were:

“I didn't think about the prize...just the shot.”

“I kept my head down to keep from getting distracted.”

“I was comfortable in the straw...that's where I came from.”

Remarkably, being in the rough with the tournament on the line, is not where the average golfer prefers to be. In the woods is probably their least favorite and least practiced location. Bubba (much like the rabbit in the briar patch), was perfectly at home there while the critics had almost written him off.

So, what is the “Bubba Lesson?”

In the universe of decisioning, it's a teachable moment. While the rest of the field is juggling with technicians, coaches and experts, Bubba is simply keeping his head down, and trusting his simple swing thoughts and a repeatable execution. That philosophy would work at home, in business and most everywhere else.

One last thing...he has visible passion. While he was shedding tears in front of 30 million people, many of us were touched in the same way. Maybe it is becoming a pattern in the world of sports where these few remarkable icons will serve to show us more of the adage: “the simple shall confound the wise.”

You go Bubba!

As always...you decide.

What Stop Sign? What Decision?

Here are just a few comments from observers of stop sign violators and random ignorance...

A Stop Sign Means STOP.

“I'm at a loss. Today, on my run, another car ran right through a stop sign and almost hit me and my dog. The driver? A POLICE OFFICER. When I flagged him down to inform him that he almost hit me, he couldn't have been more indignant. No apology. What a TOTAL ass. The cops don't even stop.”

“This jerk sped off after he made very clear that he really didn't give a sh*t about almost running me over.”

“How stupid are these people? I recently moved to an area where you see people run stop signs all the time. They risk getting themselves killed, killing someone else, or injuring someone else who then decides to sue them. So how intelligent are people who voluntarily put themselves at greater risk for such occurrences?”

“Ran five miles today ... almost got run over three times. All cars rolling through stop signs while making right turns and only looking to the left for cars. *&#@$!”

“Here's something interesting ... an police officer message board discussing how they hardly ever issue tickets to people who don't stop at a stop sign because rolling through is so common.”

“Here's a funny one ... some woman ON A CELL PHONE runs a stop sign, almost hits my friend Jill, then FLIPS HER OFF. Unbelievable.”

“A kid in my neighborhood did a study. In a 20-minute time period, he watched a an intersection. Out of 87 cars that passed through, only 9 came to a complete stop. Some rolled through, others completely ignored the stop sign. Later, the kids passed out flyers to our neighbors urging them to STOP.”

“Every time I run or walk my dog I almost get hit by a driver that runs a stop sign or red light. I'm urging EVERYONE ... Please STOP.”

ZDT Author's Comments:

Think about it... to be in true compliance of a stop sign, you must first realize that the sign exists, and that violating the rule (and law) can have serious consequences...sometimes lethal.

This dilemma applied to decisioning should carry no less weight. The fist rule in decisioning is to acknowledge that there is a decision to be made, and that avoidance and/or ignorance can carry consequences much like ignoring or not complying with the stop sign.

The tangible difference is that the stop sign can be policed, awarded citations and issued penalties...whereas, the decision (or lack of) has it's own reward.

Question: Should we reconsider the importance of decisiong? Should we use a Stop Sign as a new “trigger” to remind ourselves of this responsibility?

As always...you decide.

.

Decisioning: Provocation or Benign?

Our Zillion Dollar Thinking site and blog now has a life of almost two years. As such, we have posted hundreds of topics...all around the subject of “decisioning.”
As a contributing writer in another forum, I sparked several comments and responses to a recent article. The rhetoric was sharp and provoking which drove me to this topic. To be effective, and hopefully persuasive, should the primary messages be provocative or benign?

Provocative:

Synonyms: challenging, provoking, stimulating, confrontational, inflammatory, offensive, incendiary, insulting, rabble-rousing, aggressive, annoying, aggravating, vexing

Benign:

Synonyms: encouraging, superficial, complaisant, sympathetic, propitious, refreshing, charitable

Obviously, the safe and kind style would be benign, but probably not too motivational. Conversely, staying primarily caustic and provocative, could conjure up a bunch of hate mail.

So what's a writer to do?

All of the above.

Some of the greats (Re: Seth Godin et al.) are razor sharp in delivery and response. But, how many Seths are out there? Point is, to me and you, let's challenge each other to stay relevant in today's market (from provocative to benign), and if you see me getting sleepy...feel free to wake me up.

Zillions to your success.

Learning: Which is More Important...

The ability to add and subtract, or to think and decide?

HISTORY

This should be an obvious answer, but let's consider how this has evolved in our educational and developmental history. The base line has traditionally been: “Readin'...Writin'...Rithmetic?” In an isolated state, that should serve us well.

But, how the times do change.

PRIORITY

The question is not an either/or, but one of (equivalent) emphasis and priority. In review, there is no question that reading/writing/math has been fundamental to learning. But in comparison, there has been little to no emphasis on the fundamentals of sound decisioning and critical thinking.

WHAT IF...

You had all the digital tools/apps/hardware but no direction as to how to execute them?

You were faced with a life/death issue with no techniques for making a vital decision?

You had a genius IQ, but you seldom applied critical thinking to decision making?

TECHNOLOGICAL INFLUENCES

Many of us were raised without a computer or a calculator. We had a pencil and eraser. We manually learned how to add/subtract/multiply/divide. We still know how to use that pencil if the power goes out. But, our kids were typically raised in some phase of the electronic/digital era. Many would struggle if we handed them nothing but a pencil. All said, technology has robbed us and prior generations of certain practical abilities.

FAST FORWARD

We hear various mantras about our educational system today (much of it is politicized). Many of them point to the “dumbing down” of our curriculum studies.

The question going forward is do we need more mechanical education or more critical thinking and decisioning? While this may seem a simplistic response to a growing dilemma, it is really central to this issue. What good will it do to continue to exponentially pile on techniques (through technology) and continue to miss or avoid learning the decisioning side?

What will continue to be needed is the ability to think, decide and execute using a solid template, process or model that is learned at an early age and transferable/applicable to every succeeding stage in life. Considering the mounting evidence of disastrous decisioning results at the highest levels in our society, can you think of a more important priority?

As always...you decide.